In the early days of television, professional wrestling was one of the biggest successes on the new medium. Wagner's character, "Gorgeous George," is generally regarded as one of the first "superstars" of that new medium.

In creating his "Gorgeous George" character, he became the first professional wrestler to grow his hair long and bleach it blonde.

A major part of his performance was the elaborate pre-match rituals. It would start off with the playing of Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" as he entered the arena and moved toward the ring. He was the first professional wrestler to use entrance music.

Was the inspiration for the glitzy, effeminate wrestler character Ravishing Ronald, "The De-Natured Boy," in the 1951 Bugs Bunny cartoon Bunny Hugged (1951).